Water-motor.



1. M. STUKES.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. 1913- Ian/111170111111 1 COLUMBIA PLANMRAP H- CQ.,WAiHlNmN. D- C Patented July 20, 1915.

JOHN M. STUKES, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

' WATER-MOTOR.

Application filed December 20, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN M. STUKES, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, inthe county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented new-and useful Improvements in Tater-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to water motors, and particularly to such form of motors as are operated on the ebb and flow of the tide waters; and it has for its primary object the provision of a motor of this character wherein will be included a revolving wheel having radial blades and means for concentrating the force of the water against the wheel near the outer periphery thereof, whereby to maximize the purpose of the water as a driving agent for the motor and to also insure a uniform operation of the motor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a water motor and means whereby it may be readily shifted from one position to another as the flow of the water changes.

A further object of the invention 1s the provision of a motor of this character and means for holding the same in a predetermined position in the water in which it 1s mounted.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arran ement of parts, as will be hereinafter escribed and claimed. I

In the accompanying drawings :F1gure 1 is a top plan view of the motor; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the wheel.

The motor as herein designed and constructed is intended for the purpose of oreating power which may be used for driving dynamos or electrical machinery from wh1ch electric current may be taken and conveyed and utilized for any ordinary purposes, such as for lighting or the like, and I propose to employ means whereby the motor will be operative on the ebb and flow of tide Waters. It is therefore found preferable to employ buoyant bodies or catamarans 1, 1 that are connected with each other by a superstructure in the form of a platform 2. The platform 2 may include a number of removable boards 3 and fixed boards 4, and as illustrated a bracket 5 is provided with branches 6, 6 that are secured at their upper ends to the said boards 4:, and beneath the Specification for Design.

i Patented uly 20, 1915. Serial No. 808,035.

the wheel preferably consists of a rim 10 disposed concentric with the shaft 8 and eX-- tending approximately at an angle of 15 to the axis of the Wheel, while at the center the Wheel is provided with a substantially conical hub 11, whose walls are arranged preferably at an angle of 30 to the axis of the Wheel. The large end of said hub is connected to the rim 10 by means of angularly-disposed vanes or blades 12. The small end of the conical hub" extends beyond the intake side of the wheel, and the angle of its walls is such that the water will be outwardly deflected in the direction of the arrows indicated in the drawing, while the angle of the flange of the rim is arranged so as to correspondingly inwardly deflect the water and at the vertices of lines drawn as shown at A and B in Fig. 3 the force of the water will be applied to the vanes or blades 12 at points near the periphery of the wheel. The conical hub and the rearwardly andinwardly deflected flange of the wheel rim act on the principle of the team cantracta to increase the speed of the water current through the wheel. In this manner the full force of the water is utilized and the wheel will be revolved with maximum rapidity. The wheel is provided with a plurality of diagonal braces 13 connected at 14 to a fixed collar 15 securely mounted upon the shaft 8.

At one side the wheel is provided with an annular series of sprocket teeth 16 that may be connected by a driving chain 17 to a sprocket gear wheel 18 on a driven shaft 19. This shaft is journaled to revolve in bearings 20 that rise from the boards 3-3 ofthe platform of the device, and'mounted on said shaft is a pulley 21 or other equivalent means from which power as itis'conveyed from the driving wheel of the motor may be transmitted to a suitable dynamo, not shown.

In order that the motor may be changed according to the flow of the water I respectively provide at diagonally opposite corners of the superstructure of the device rudders 22 and 28 which may be manually adjusted so as to cause the structure to be quickly shifted from one position to another by the current of the water. In order that the device may be anchored at a particular place in the water the superstructure of the device is provided with a cable 24, the bight 25 of which being passed around a suitable anchoring pile 26. In this manner the device is adapted to be freely moved around the pile on change of the current, as will be readily understood.

1 claim 1. A Water motor of the class described comprising a pair of floats, a frame connecting the floats, a frame arranged between the floats, and secured to and depending from the first named frame, a longitudinally arranged shaft mounted in bearings in the second frame, a current Wheel on said shaft and comprising a forwardly tapering hub, a rim spaced from the hub and having a front flange converging inwardly and rearwardly, radially arranged vanes having their inner ends secured to the rear end of the hub and their outer ends secured to said rim, braces connecting the front side of the rim and the said shaft, a gear wheel on said I shaft, a counter shaft mounted in bearings on the first named frame and means connecting the gear wheel of the current wheel with said counter shaft, to drive the latter by the former.

In a water motor of the class described, a longitudinally-arranged shaft, a current wheel on said shaft and comprising a for wardly tapering hub, a rim spaced from the hub and having a front flange converging inwardly and rearwardly, and radiallyarranged vanes having their inner ends secured to the rear end of the hub and their outer ends secured to the rim.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. STUKES. Witnesses JAMES R. KOEHL, E. EDMoNs'roN, Jr.

- Copies of thls patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

